Two major international watchdogs have issued stark reports about the state of democracy, corruption and human rights worldwide. Transparency International (TI) revealed that corruption is worsening globally, with democracies increasingly struggling to uphold accountability.

According to its 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), the average global score has fallen to its lowest level in more than a decade. Most strikingly, the United States recorded its weakest-ever performance, dropping to a score of 64 out of 100, a 10-point decline since 2016.

The organisation linked the trend to political instability and pressure on democratic institutions. Since returning to the White House early last year, US President Donald Trump has reshaped domestic and foreign policy while intensifying confrontations with bodies ranging from universities to the Federal Reserve.

Although the CPI does not account for the most recent release of Jeffrey Epstein files, which implicated officials across several countries, TI said the US reflects a broader pattern of democratic backsliding. The report notes similar concerns in the United Kingdom and France. While these countries remain relatively high in the rankings, TI warned that “corruption risks have increased” as a result of weakened oversight and legislative gaps.

Within the European Union, Bulgaria and Hungary ranked lowest, each scoring 40. TI was particularly critical of Hungary, stating that the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban “has systematically weakened the rule of law, civic space and electoral integrity for over 10 years”.

Parallel concerns were raised by Human Rights Watch (HRW) in its World Report 2026, which reviews global human rights conditions during 2025. “The global human rights system is in peril,” said HRW executive director Philippe Bolopion. He warned that the international order was under sustained assault: “Under relentless pressure from US President Donald Trump, and persistently undermined by China and Russia, the rules-based international order is being crushed.”

Bolopion described 2025 as a possible watershed. “In just 12 months, the Trump administration has carried out a broad assault on key pillars of US democracy and the global rules-based order,” he wrote, detailing a sweeping rollback of rights and protections. HRW highlighted state-level restrictions on LGBT rights, noting: “27 states now ban medically indicated gender-affirming care for youth,” alongside limits on education, healthcare and anti-discrimination protections.

Together, the reports paint a troubling picture of democratic erosion and shrinking human rights at a moment many fear could define the future of global human rights.